re: Do you find yourself getting more emotional as you age?

For certain things, absolutely.

Kids and animals are my Achilles.

I wouldn't say more or less emotional. As I've aged I've learned how to express emotions in a more sincere way, and with less interference from other people's emotions. And I've allowed myself to show more emotions now that I'm past the age where showing all but a few emotions was gay or lame.

Turned 50 a couple months ago. Most of my adult life I’ve been non emotional. I thought it was interesting that in real life I rarely cried, even at most funerals, but will cry/tear up easily during movies and tv shows.

Three years ago we lost a family pet that wrecked me. Lost pets before but this was different. Then my dad passed away suddenly exactly a week later. That was the start of my emotions changing. More empathetic to those around me. Also way more angry in general.

Then a few months later my wife got breast cancer. Dealt with that well and she beat it. Then a few months ago she develiped a very rare cancer caused by her chemo. And her version is a very rare type of that very rare cancer with a gene arrangement that occurs in less than 1% of the rare versions of the rare cancer. She has a 50/50 shot of being alive in two years. She’s currently 49 years old and the cancer makes it difficult for her to walk and gives her bone pain most nights (and some days on the worst times). So she needs help just taking a shower or making dinner many days along with a dozen smaller tasks we all take for granted. Just started chemo again this week while we wait for a bone marrow transplant.

My mom has the same rare cancer, but a milder version that she’s lived with for 8 years. Hasn’t progressed to the bad stage yet but it’s coming at some point.

I’m pretty emotional all the time now. I get angry (seeing red angry) at almost anything. I have to focus on letting things go because I know I’m just looking for an excuse to let the anger out any way I can. When I’m alone (car, before bed, anything) my thoughts always go dark. I play out every scenario of the rest of my life dozens of time each day and usually focus on the bad ones. Can’t help it. The best way to ignore it is by playing video games because it keeps my hands and mind active and focused on something else. Second best is just watching tv with her because it feels normal, but also reminds me of what I may miss.

It’s not all dark. I laugh at work, enjoy tv, movies and video games. Love spending time with my wife. But it’s rare I go a full day without some sort of crying or tearing up when I used to go months or years and that’s the mood of that day. I even teared up writing this, probably because it’s the first time I’ve written it out. I still have hope she’ll beat this and we get another 10, 20 or even more years together.

TLDR: to the OP, yeah…I am more emotional at this age, too.

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Recently, we had a pet get sick and eventually pass away. It wrecked me.

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Getting our first inside dog is what did it to me. I wasn't even sure I had a heart before that. She's 14 years old now and her health has started to fade in the last few months. Not sure what her passing is going to do to me.

I had a kid. That’s what changed my emotions.

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I find myself getting much more irritable and grouchy

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...and cynical.

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Has anyone found themselves getting more emotional as they age?

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raises hand.

and yes, losing pets is the worst.

Get your T levels checked

Yes

I've become less emotional with age. The only thing that really gets me sometimes is seeing old pics of my kids when they were younger. (They are around 12 now) not going to lie, I really miss those days when they were small, innocent and couldn't wait to see me when I got home from work.